WHEREAS Victim Services and Restorative Justice programs provide support to victims of crime and provide counseling and alternative resolution services to many young and first time offenders; AND WHEREAS these programs save dollars by reducing the need for trained police personnel to attend in court andor respond to the needs of victims of crime; AND WHEREAS there is no specific funding for Restorative Justice programs and very limited Provincial funding for Victim Services programs; AND WHEREAS all communities contribute significant local resources to policing services despite growing surpluses at both the Provincial and Federal levels: THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Province of BC and Government of Canada provide additional and adequate funding to fully support Restorative Justice and Victim Services programs in BC.
Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General The Province has increased funding for victim service programs. The 2008 Budget included an increase of 17.1 million from the Victim Surcharge Special Account for Victim Services in BC. This additional funding provides an opportunity to expand and enhance programs, services and strategies to victims and their affected family members in BC. In May 2008, an additional 2.7 million was provided through the introduction of an updated interim funding formula to strengthen police and community based victim service programs in BC; an average funding increase of 22 percent. The Province provides full funding for community based Victim Services programs in eligible communities with a population of greater than 20,000. Currently, the Province is conducting a comprehensive review of the delivery of victim services including funding levels and community and victims needs. The Province continues to support restorative justice programs through the Community Accountability Program. These programs are also eligible to apply for project funding under the Civil Forfeiture Crime Prevention and Crime Remediation Grant Funding Program. In March 2008, restorative justice projects in eight communities benefited from a total of 125,000 in grant funding.